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Saturday, March 14, 2015

Chicken Pot Pies

We settled for pot pies today, with a filling of creamy, cheesy chicken, carrot, and potato bits. After the first forkful I kept asking myself why I hadn't cooked this before! Although I do bake a lot of pies and tarts, somehow pot pies did not make the scene in my kitchen. But now I am in Delhi spending some time with my younger son who wasn't keeping well but is on the road to recovery. And as usual I did what I usually do when I get here, haunt the places where you get the best ingredients and bakeware. These cute ceramic baking dishes with a handle caught my eye. I got two of these and ramekins as well. But before I return home I know what else I'll be getting.:)

Yesterday I had made and kept some pastry dough getting prepared for my sudden impulses. And the temptations are many! Although on the expensive side, the summer berries of temperate climes fill the shelves in many places. I should indulge....but not today. The sweetest of Australian pears apart from our usual tropical fruits are waiting to be feasted on. Coming back to my pies, I made the filling with just a few ingredients. Some green would have been nice, like peas, but I had forgotten to get them.Ingredients:1 cup of cooked chicken pieces without bones(from the stock I made yesterday)2 carrots, diced1 medium potato, peeled and diced1 large onion, chopped fineSalt to tasteGround pepper, as per tasteKnob of butterHeat the butter in a pan and add the onions. Fry till the onions change colour.Add the vegetables and cook till about half done.Add the cooked chicken and the seasonings. There should still be a little crunch in the vegetables after the cooking is done.While the vegetables cook, make the sauce.Ingredients:1 tbs butter1 tbs flourGround pepper as per taste1/2 cup chicken stock2/3 cup milk100 grams grated cheese1 beaten egg to glaze the pastryHeat a tablespoon of butter in a pan and add a tablespoon of flour.Stir till the raw smell goes off. Add the chicken stock and the of milk.Season with ground pepper.Add 100 grams of grated cheese, simmer for a couple of minutes till the sauce is thick enough.Pour the sauce into the chicken and vegetable mix and stir well.Take it off the heat and let it cool.

Preheat the oven to 180C. Roll out the pastry to the size of the baking dish. Repeat with the next.

Pour the filling into the dishes. The filling was just the right amount for these two dishes.

Cut out the circles and cover the dish. Press the edges first with your fingers and then with the tines of a fork.

Make cuts on the surface for the steam to escape.

Brush with beaten egg and bake for about 25 minutes till the top is golden brown.

Remove and let it cool down a bit. Decorate with sprigs of parsley. Dig in.